I've come to believe that any HalfBack that doesn't bring a Passing Game element to the BattleField is...incomplete.

Hence, the term "FlexBack" ~ although quite cool, I believe!! ~ short-circuits the Evaluation Process.

As to how I break them down, I expect that the terms are pretty self-explanatory:

PowerBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work between the Tackles..SpeedBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work outside the Tackles.

The PowerBack prototype would be about 5115/220 or so.The SpeedBack prototype would be about 5010/200 or so.

Those are gross oversimplifications, of course, and many HalfBacks will manifest Attributes of both styles. Indeed, Power and Speed ~ better yet: Agility ~ are crucial to the Success of either kind of HalfBack. But I believe that it advances the discussion and better serves my Fellow FootBall Fanatics if I make an effort to distinguish between types.

This is how I break things down, when evaluating all HalfBacks:

Power: Above all: Core Power. Upper body Power is important, but lower body Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. An HalfBack's Capacity to break Tackles is more about Core Power than anything else.

Agility: Launch Velocity, Fluidity, Acceleration, and Ricochet. Long Speed is all well and good, but at the end of the day, it is Gravy. What wins Championships is Moving The Chains. And Moving The Chains is accomplished far more consistently by the guys who exhibit the Agility ~ and the Focus ~ to consistently pick up 5 and sometimes 10 Yards at a time.

Blocking: Having an HalfBack who doesn't Block effectively is like having 10 Men on the Field of Battle. Most HalfBacks just coming out'f College are mediocre Blockers, but this is a crucial Aspect of the Game that they'll need to master.

Receiving: Whether he be a PowerBack or a SpeedBack, an HalfBack that can effectively present a genuine Threat in the Passing Game dramatically increases his Team's Options on any given Play. The more dynamic the Threat, the more valuable to'is Team on the Field of Battle, whether he's just slipping out'f the BackField or splitting out Wide.

Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:

Power

* Core Power is most of it. Tyrannosaurus Rex would've made an Hell of an HalfBack.* Torso Power doesn't hurt, though.

Agility

* Launch Velocity* Fluidity* Acceleration* Ricochet* Long Speed

Processing Speed

* That ethereal Capacity to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.

Blocking

* Power* Agility* Combat Skills* Processing Speed* Motor

Receiving

* Separation* Catch Point Capacity* Navigation

Antonio Andrews Scouting Report

Power ~ Mediocre. I saw many Broken Tackles, but I also saw several that should've been broken.Agility ~ Exceptional. Tremendous Ricochet out'f'is Breaks ~ Crisp, Decisive, and Quick. Ample Fluidity, as well.Processing Speed ~ Outstanding. Great at Rapidly Reading the Tactical LandScape and exploiting it. Patient, too.Blocking ~ Insufficient Data!! Not much Tape on this guy, and I saw nothing of'is Blocking, Good, Bad, or Ugly!!Receiving ~ Tremendous. A sharp, savvy Router with soft Hands, great Field Vision, and extraordinary Agility!!

Antonio Andrews Prospectus

I certainly reserve the right, as always, to dramatically change my Scouting Report, over the next several months, should I discover reason to do so. When there's enough Buzz about a Prospect yet a dearth of quality Tape, I'll compose a Prospectus on the guy, anyway, if my Gut is telling me to do so...and this is one such case.One can scrape together bits and pieces, from Tapes of TeamMates, Tapes of the Opposition, random YouTube HighLights of the Prospect and of'is Team, and other scattered Sources of various Media.Sometimes my Impressions are based on simple Taped TeleCasts, which of course I cannot Link to.What I surmise, based on what I could get my hands on, is that Antonio Andrews, while allegedly prone to Fumbles, brings a dynamic combination of Processing Speed and natural Agility to the table: He is exceptionally adept at Rapidly Reading the developing Tactical LandScape in front'm, and blessed with the Agility to exploit it.That right there makes for a dangerous Weapon.And the fact that he compounds it with extraordinary Receiving Skills makes him an exciting Weapon.He is neither overly powerful nor overly explosive, getting to the Second Level, but he breaks more'n his share of Tackles, and he doesn't waste time, either. He is not what I would call terrifying, but he is dangerous.

Please Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men of Good Will!!